I'm heading up the coast, driving, from the South Bay Area to Florence Oregon next week and am trying to find locations to ride along the way. Plan to take 101 up, and probably 5 back. I'm a beginner, so spots need to be good for someone who still sucks The only place I've heard about is Flores Lake which is about 2 hours south of my final destination. Any help/ideas/suggestions?

I'm up that way for a couple weeks, so I'll have time to travel around too.

Floras Lake at Langlois is very nice for beginners. Most of the lake is only chestdeep. A lot of people learn there. Good winds during the summer. There is a B&B directly at the lake and those guys also run a kiteschool. When I was watching almost every day kites were out. It's a big windsurfing spot too, so it may get crowded on a good day, the lake is not very big.

It can get very windy there in summer so make sure you also bring a smaller kite.

Then The Whiskey Run beach at Bandon (better after Bandon, north on 101, after the golf course you make a left to 7 Devils, drive a while and follow the signs to Whiskey run. This is a major kiting spot for more experienced kiters. Very windy at times, so be careful. But it is an awesome long beach with a very mellow break. If you have a 4 wheel drive you can drive onto the beach.

Then further up the 101 the next good spots are coming up at Florence, at the Breakwater.